Traditional Undergraduates: College Academic Policies

Click on any of the following links for information:

Academic advising is available to all students in the College of Business, Arts, Sciences and Education.

Friends University classifies online course and program offerings according to four discrete taxonomies. These taxonomies are consistent with many other colleges and universities that offer online courses and programs.

Friends University classifies online course and program offerings according to four discrete taxonomies. These taxonomies are consistent with many other colleges and universities that offer online courses and programs.

• Online Course/Program (ONL): Online courses have all content delivered online through a Learning Management System (LMS) and do not have regularly scheduled classroom meetings.
• Blended Course / Program - BLD (formerly Hybrid Course/Program - HYB): Blended courses are a mix of classroom meetings and technology mediated distance delivery. Those courses through which a predominance of the instruction (50% or more) is delivered at a distance are considered blended.
• Web Facilitated Course / Program (formerly Web-Enhanced Course/Program - WEB): Web facilitated courses are traditional courses that use a LMS to facilitate communications and content delivery. Regularly scheduled meetings are not substituted with technology mediated content delivery.
• Traditional (TRA): Traditional courses are delivered as regularly scheduled classroom meetings that utilize methodologies such as lecture, discussion, group work, writing, etc. and do not use a LMS to support communications or content delivery.

Online and Blended delivered courses are managed through specific University policy and approval processes.  Web Facilitated courses are guided and managed by University policies consistent with on-ground courses.

Classification is based upon the student’s academic standing in terms of hours and credit points at the beginning of the semester.

Regular Students: Those who have satisfied entrance requirements and are pursuing a course of study leading to a degree. They are classified as follows:

Freshmen: Students with fewer than 28 semester hours and 56 credit points.
Sophomores: Students who have completed 28 semester hours and 56 credit points.
Juniors: Students who have completed 58 semester hours and 116 credit points.
Seniors: Students who have completed 88 semester hours and 176 credit points.

Students are expected to attend all class sessions. When absence is unavoidable, students should arrange in advance with the instructor for the completion of all work missed. Penalty for unexcused absences rests with the teachers concerned. Excessive absences or tardiness may jeopardize the student’s academic standing.

The normal student load at Friends University is 12 to 16 semester hours during the fall semester and 12 to 16 hours during the spring semester.

Students with a “B” average may register for more than 17.5 hours with signed permission from the Dean or the Associate Vice President, Academic Affairs, University Registrar. The institution reserves the right to limit the academic load of students whose outside employment, campus activities or academic performance make such limitations advisable.

For degree auditing purposes, the following course definitions will be used:

Equivalent

The course is considered to be the same in description, academic credits, rigor, pre-requisites / co-requisites, and learning outcomes.  Any student who has taken a course considered equivalent to another will only have the most recent grade and hours calculated into the earned hours and GPA.  This will be processed as a ‘repeated’ course.

Substitution

The course is determined not to be equivalent in nature, but comparable in breadth/depth, content, learning outcomes, level and academic credits.  The student will receive earned hours and the grade will calculate into the GPA for both courses.  The course will replace a current or prior degree requirement, or a discontinued course that is part of the student’s degree program.  An approved course substitution form must be submitted to the Office of the University Registrar.  A substitution will not be processed as a ‘repeated’ course.

Waiver

A course waiver will be considered if a student has documented prior knowledge (coursework, test scores, experience, or other evidence) that has been determined to satisfy a particular degree requirement.  The student is required to submit all required documentation to support the request.  No earned hours or GPA will be awarded.  A waiver does not exempt the student from satisfying the total number of hours required for the degree.  An approved waiver form must be submitted to the Office of the University Registrar.

Friends University defines the unit of credit hour as follows:  A credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally-established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than:
(1) one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or (2) at least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other activities as established by an institution, including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, experiential and prior learning, and other academic work leading toward the award of credit hours.

Friends University Credit Points are assigned as follows for the purpose of determining scholastic averages:

Each semester :
1 hour of “A”	=	4 credit points
1 hour of “B”	=	3 credit points
1 hour of “C”	=	2 credit points
1 hour of “D”	=	1 credit point
1 hour of “F”	=	0 credit points

The Cumulative Grade Point Average, commonly spoken as a GPA, is determined by dividing the credit hours taken in all graded courses accepted by or completed at Friends University into the credit points received. Example: Four hours with a “C” grade (or 8 credit points) results in a GPA of 2.000.

In Good Standing means that a student has met academic and other requirements and has paid all University financial obligations. Registration may be denied to students not in good standing. Transcripts and diplomas are withheld until past due financial obligations are paid.

Grade Change requests must be initiated within one year of completing the course and prior to receiving the degree.

Friends University confers credit by examination, particularly College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests. Hours earned through credit by examination are listed on the student’s transcript but will not affect the cumulative grade point average. A student may earn up to 60 semester examination hours. Scores will not be recorded if they fail to meet minimum standards for conferral of credit; nor will they penalize the student who has attempted the exam.

CLEP GENERAL EXAMINATIONS

• CLEP General Examinations, usually taken by prospective students before they begin their college study at Friends, measure general education in five broad areas (English composition, mathematics, natural science, social studies and humanities). An acceptable essay is also required for credit in English by CLEP general examinations. Students may take all five portions or only those in which they feel adequately prepared.
• Scores at or above the 50th percentile of sophomore college norms will permit conferral of as much as 3 credits in English and 6 credits in each of the other areas for a total possible on General Examinations of 27 semester hours of Friends University credit.
• General examinations may be taken any time during the college career, but credit will not be granted after a student has completed accredited college courses within the broad general area to be tested.

CLEP SUBJECT EXAMINATIONS

• CLEP subject examinations will be used for the conferral of credit only if the student completes the prerequisite introductory course exam early in the first semester of registration for advanced coursework.

ACT-PEP EXAMINATIONS

• Proficiency Examination Program (PEP) examinations of the American College Testing (ACT) program also may be utilized for credit in most instances, with similar proficiency minimums as the CLEP examinations.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT PROGRAM

• Students who have participated in the Advanced Placement Program at the high school level, sponsored by the College Entrance Examination Board of New York, will receive college credit if their grades on the Advanced Placement Examinations are in one of the upper two categories. Further information may be obtained from the Dean of the College.

DSST (DANTES Subject Standardized Tests)

• The DSST program is an extensive series of 37 examinations in college subject areas that are comparable to the final or end-of-course examinations in undergraduate courses. Friends University follows the ACE recommendations regarding passing test score criteria and credit hour equivalents when granting institutional credit to students who take DSST tests.

CREDIT BY EXAMINATION

• When no satisfactory standardized test is available, a student may request permission to take a campus-created exam to demonstrate proficiency in a particular course or subject. Permission for such an exam must be received from both the Dean of the College or Division Chair and the professor who would design and administer the exam.
• Credit earned by examination saves repetition, time and money. Test fees are $45 per credit hour and are non-refundable although a student may fail to score high enough to receive credit.
• A student may earn up to 60 semester hours of credit by examination. Credit by examination is recorded only for regular matriculated students, after a semester in residence has been completed. Credit by examination will not be figured into the cumulative GPA.

NON-COLLEGIATE TRAINING

College credit is recognized for certain types of non-collegiate training programs and military service where college credit recommendations have been established. Valid documentation (certificates, diplomas, etc.) must be submitted to the Director of Prior Learning for evaluation. Veterans must submit their Separation Form DD-214 to apply for credit from military service.

The amount of credit recognized will vary in accordance with the plans of the student, the recommendations of the appropriate guide (such as The Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services) and the educational policies of the University. A fee may be charged for the evaluation and recording of this credit.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CREDIT

• Life Learning Essays (LLE)— Students may demonstrate what they have learned from their life experiences about a particular subject through LLEs. Essays are submitted to the Prior Learning and Assessment Office (PLA) office and faculty members evaluate essays to determine whether the knowledge displayed is equivalent to college-level learning. An essay format is used to express the knowledge and experiences related to a specific subject area. Each essay must meet the outcomes and/or course description of a Friends University course. Credited essays are usually 10 to14 pages in length and generally receive three academic hours.
• Professional and Technical Training (PT)— College credit is recognized for certain types of non-collegiate training programs. Valid documentation (certificates, diplomas, etc.) for evaluation of all licensure, certifications and training may be awarded college credit based on an evaluation by the PLA office in consultation with Friends University faculty. As a guideline, a minimum of 40 hours of training (hours spent in a classroom situation) is required to be eligible for one hour of college credit. The student must demonstrate that college level learning has occurred in these trainings by describing in narrative form what knowledge was gained and how the learning has been used and/or evaluated. The amount of credit recognized will vary in accordance with the plans of the student, the recommendations of the appropriate guides, and the educational policies of the University. Credit will be awarded based on an evaluation of the quality of the learning and not on the number of hours spent in a classroom situation. Continuing Education Units (CEU) are also evaluated through the PLA office.  In addition, students who have earned credits documented on an American Council of Education (ACE) transcript, or from recognized technical and/or vocational schools may submit school transcripts in lieu of the narrative. Duplication of credits earned (licensure, certificates, ACE, CEU and training credits) will not be granted for courses already transcripted. A fee may be charged for the evaluation and recording of the credit.

Developmental/remedial courses and/or courses numbered below 100 may not be included in any requests for elective hour conversions through the PT process.

Many courses offered by Newman University are open to Friends students for cross registration on a space-available basis. These courses are counted as resident credit at Friends University.

The Registrar manages all cross-registration procedures. Most courses are available on both campuses to all students without separate registrations or added costs.

The student exchange program is designed to enrich the educational opportunities of Friends and Newman students.

The grade symbols and their significance are as follows:

• Grade “A” indicates superior work.
• Grade “B” indicates good work.
• Grade “C” indicates satisfactory work.
• Grade “D” indicates inferior work, but is a passing grade.

Faculty have primary authority for the assignment of grades.  Students have the right to appeal a grade through the University Exception process.

Grade “F” indicates failure to complete work sufficient in quantity or quality to receive credit. Credit may be earned only by repeating the course.

Note: A student may not repeat a course more than twice (total of three attempts) in an effort to achieve a satisfactory grade. The most recent grade achieved by repeating a course is the grade utilized in student records and averages.

Grade “S” or “SS” when given, indicates satisfactory completion of course.

Grade “NS” when given, indicates a letter grade was not submitted by the course instructor.

Grade “I” indicates an incomplete. A student who has failed to fulfill all requirements of a course may petition the instructor before the close of the term to assign the grade “I” (incomplete). The course extension petition, listing completion requirements and completion date, will be signed by the student and the instructor. A “replacement grade” will also be assigned that will be the letter grade the student will receive if the missing work is not completed. The “I” will change to the replacement grade only if the “I” remains at the end of the semester for term-based classes (fall or spring) following the one in which the “I” was assigned.

The grade “I” is given only for personal emergencies, which are verifiable, and when the student has done passing work in the course. The responsibility for completing all coursework rests with the student.

The mark “AU” (auditor) is used to indicate enrollment on a “no credit” basis. Audit registration may not be converted to credit registration after the second week of a regular semester nor credit registration be converted to audit registration after the second week of a regular semester. Private lessons from the Fine Arts department are not available for audit.

“WD” means withdrawn. It signifies that the student has officially withdrawn from the course. The grade “F” is given for unofficial withdrawal from a course.

“NC” (no credit) is used in Education Courses, Writing 1 and Developmental Mathematics to indicate failure to complete work sufficient in quantity or quality to receive credit. Credit may be earned only by repeating the course but does not affect the GPA.

Pass/No Credit Option (“P”/”NC”) Juniors and seniors may enroll in up to 12 semester hours of free electives on a “pass/no credit” basis. These hours are to be taken in courses not required by the student’s program and outside the major field. Courses taken to satisfy general education requirements for graduation may not be taken for “pass/no credit” enrollment. “Pass/no credit” courses will not affect the student’s grade point average.

Students electing this alternate grading system must so indicate at the time of registration. “Pass/no credit” registration may not be converted to traditional grading registration after the second week of a regular semester or vice versa.

Certain approved courses offered on “pass/no credit” basis may be applied toward appropriate major field course requirements.

“0” Credit indicates that a student is electing to take courses for “0” credit. This must be done at the time of registration. The credit cannot be converted to traditional grading at any time after registration. The course grade will be recorded as “0” only on student transcripts. Students taking music courses for “0” credit must have the Fine Arts Chair’s approval. “0” credit courses will receive the grade “SS” to indicate enrollment in the class on the transcript.

Honor Roll

• For semester-based programs, the following honor rolls are posted with the following qualifications at the end of each semester:
• President’s Honor Roll: 12 or more semester hours earned with a semester grade point average of 3.900 or above.
• Dean’s Honor Roll: 12 or more semester hours earned with a semester grade point average between 3.600 and 3.899.
• All students must be in good standing, with no incompletes to be considered.

Graduation Honors

• The minimum standard for graduating SUMMA CUM LAUDE is both an overall cumulative grade point average of 3.90 and a cumulative grade point average of 3.90 on Friends University coursework.
• The minimum standard for MAGNA CUM LAUDE is both an overall cumulative grade point average of 3.75 and a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 on Friends University coursework.
• The minimum standard for graduating CUM LAUDE is both an overall cumulative grade point average of 3.60 and a cumulative grade point average of 3.60 on Friends University coursework.

Order of the Tower: Students graduating with a bachelor’s degree and maintaining honors automatically become eligible for the Order of the Tower, the honorary society of the University. These students are presented the crimson honor cord at Commencement and receive special mention during the exercises.

Alpha Chi: Alpha Chi National Honor Scholarship Society was established at Friends University in February 1986 to promote academic excellence and exemplary character. Based on GPA and Friends University hours in residence, membership is by faculty invitation only to students of junior or senior status. The members are presented the Alpha Chi blue and green cords to wear on their gowns during the Commencement ceremony.

In the 1981 fall semester Friends University established an Honors Program designed to enrich the educational experience of selected students through a process involving group interchange of ideas and independent research projects. Participating students are challenged by their peers and by faculty members to reflect upon significant contemporary issues in a number of different fields and to attempt to respond to and integrate the ideas encountered with their own personal values and faith. The experience is intended to develop powers of analysis and evaluation in an environment where encouragement is given to pursue excellence. It is also intended to deepen the appreciation of those involved for the entire range of the liberal arts.

Students are selected for the program on the basis of intellectual ability, creative capacity, and interest and potential for success in this type of program. Ordinarily, a student applies for admission to the program in the second semester of the freshman year. In exceptional cases, sophomores may be considered. Applicants should have a minimum grade point average of 3.50. However, GPA is only one of a number of criteria. Successful applicants will be those who show some potential for benefitting from the program. Application forms are available from and are returned to the Director of the Honors Program. Final selection is made by a faculty committee designated for this purpose.

Friends University will grant 30 hours of General Education credit upon entrance to students who have successfully completed an International Baccalaureate Diploma. (Diploma with high school transcript and standard admissions procedures.)

IB Area		Requirement		Course		Hrs
Language A		Competency		Writing 1, 2		6
Language B		B.A. Requirement		Foreign Lang		8
Exp. Science		Perspective		Phy/Biol Sci		4
Mathematics		Competency		College Algebra		3
Theory of Knowl.		Perspective		Intro to Phil.		3
Study of Man		Foundations		World Civ. OR		3
				American Character
Electives		Perspective		Art/Music OR		3
		Competency		Intro to Comp.
Total Credit Hours						30

In the event an unavoidable emergency occurs, which prevents class attendance for a short period of time, the student may request a temporary leave of absence. Circumstances which would qualify the student for emergency leave would include: 1) serious illness of the student or immediate family member; or 2) temporary employment relocation. Additional information is available through your advisor’s, Registrar’s, Student Account Services or the Financial Aid offices.

Mid-Term Grades:  Instructors will be required to submti grades of P (passing), D, or F, at the mid-term of any semester for all enrolled students in the College of Business, Arts, Sciences and Education.  Instructors will also have the option to assign a letter grade of A, B, C, at their discretion at the mid-term of any semester.  Student grades at mid-term are used for counseling purposes and are not recorded on the student’s permanent record.

An academic class week is for all online courses is defined as Monday through Sunday.

ACADEMIC PROBATION

A student will be placed on probation upon earning a cumulative grade point average of less than 1.60 for freshmen, less than 1.80 for sophomores, and less than 2.00 for juniors and seniors.

Students on Academic Probation cannot participate in intercollegiate athletics, hold office in student organizations nor compete for membership in performing groups, which represent the institution.

ACADEMIC DISMISSAL

Students normally have the academic year (September through May) or two semesters to prove themselves and to demonstrate their ability to make normal progress toward graduation. Those who fail will be suspended or dismissed at the conclusion of this period. However, the University reserves the right to suspend anyone failing to make normal progress at the end of any semester.

Students who are withdrawn due to Academic Dismissal may apply for re-admission after sitting out at least one semester.  Contact the Undergraduate Admissions department for re-admission information.

Students are listed on official class rosters upon completion of their registration, which includes course selection and the payment of fees and tuition.

To add or withdraw from a class in the semester-based programs, a student must complete the proper form and obtain the necessary signatures. A Change of Registration form must be completed and submitted to the Registrar’s Office. Attendance in a class does not constitute addition or withdrawal from a class.

Adding a Class
No addition to a student’s schedule may be made after 10 academic days from the beginning of classes during a semester or after five days in eight-week sessions. Any exceptions must be approved by the College Dean or the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs - University Registrar as well as the instructor involved. A student who does not properly add a class to their registration will not receive a grade for the class.

Withdrawing from a Class
Grades will not be recorded for courses dropped by the end of the first week of a regular semester. Courses dropped between the second and tenth week will be recorded as “WD” (withdrawn). Permission to withdraw from a course after the tenth week of a semester or fifth week of an eight-week session is possible only in extenuating circumstances by special permission of the Dean or Associate Vice President, Academic Affairs, University Registrar (or designee). A student who does not properly withdraw from a class will receive a failing grade (F) in the course. (See the Student Initiated Withdrawal section for procedures on complete withdrawal from the University.)

Required International Travel Courses

Students traveling internationally as part of any Friends University course, regardless of college, for the purposes of meeting a requirement for graduation will enroll in the Friends University course for the term of travel and pay the standard tuition and fees for their college in addition to any direct costs associated with the trip.
Students travelling as part of a program in partnership with another university or institute where contractual agreements regarding tuition, fees, and other direct expenses are in place will enroll in the appropriate Friends University course(s) and pay the tuition, fees, and other direct expenses set by the partnership agreement.

Policy for International Travel Courses where students do not fall into the above categories:

All persons wishing to travel with a Friends University international course but where the course does not fall under one of the cases listed above must enroll in the course for (graded) credit. This includes each of the following:
• Students wishing to travel with, and earn credit for, a course in their current college of enrollment but not for graduation credit.
• Students wishing to travel with, and earn credit for, a course in their current college of enrollment but beyond the current package load.
• Students wishing to travel with, and earn credit for, a course outside of their current college of enrollment where the course will not apply toward graduation credit.

Note: Those persons not currently enrolled as a student at Friends University, who wish to audit an international travel study course, must apply to and be accepted by the University as a “Non-Degree Seeking Special Student” or a “Non-Degree Seeking Guest Student” and must obtain a student ID. The fee for admission to the University will be waived if admission is solely for the purpose of participation in a travel course.
For these Non-Degree Seeking students, tuition will be assessed a per credit hour fee set at the current Education Workshop rate for the number of hours of the course.

SUMMER SESSIONS

• Summer sessions are open to off-campus travel programs and a limited number of special arranged courses.

EXPERIMENTAL COURSES

• In addition to the courses which are described in the Catalog, Friends University offers experimental courses. These courses are not listed in the Catalog since they are designed to meet the special needs of the community or students or arise out of the interest of faculty. These courses are offered a maximum of three times and require the approval of the Division Chair and the Vice President of Academic Affairs. Such a course is designated with the number 300 in the class schedule publication.

CONFERENCE COURSES

• Upon recommendation of the instructor and the student’s advisor, the Division Chair and Academic Dean may grant permission for a student to take a course by conference. Frequent conferences with the instructor, reports and examinations ensure that the student covers the same materials and maintains the same standards as those who take the course regularly. Written permission to take work by conference must be given and residence credit is granted. Special course arrangement forms must be completed and are available in the Registrar’s Office. Any lab fees attached to the course will be charged.

Students from other accredited institutions may be admitted to advanced standing upon the presentation of official transcripts. A transcript is considered official when mailed direct to Friends from the previous institution. An official transcript from each college previously attended is required in order to be considered for admissions. Friends University normally accepts course credit from all accredited colleges and universities. (Exception: In keeping with our Quaker heritage, Friends University does not accept ROTC military credits.) Care should be taken not to duplicate work completed at the previous institution. (See guidelines for proprietary school credit and experiential learning credits.)

Credit is transferred with the grade earned in the course at the institution where the course was taken. All grades are calculated for a transfer GPA, including courses that might have been deleted from consideration by an “academic fresh start” at the transferring institution. Students should be aware that credits may be transcripted but not counted toward major or graduation requirements. “D” grades in major courses and certain other courses are not accepted toward graduation.

All traditional students must have at least 60 credit hours from a four-year college (including the 30 hours in residence at Friends University) to receive a bachelor’s degree. All students may use experiential learning credits (portfolio) to count as four-year college credits but not as residency credits.

The Friends University guidelines for translating proprietary school credit to Friends University credits are:

1. The student must take proficiency examinations over the proprietary school courses for which they are seeking Friends University credit. The examinations can be given the first semester the student enrolls at Friends. (Refer to the Credit by Examination section for procedure and cost.) The Friends University faculty will make the final decision on grades and total hours.
2. The student must successfully complete 15 hours of credit at Friends University before the translated credits will be added to the student’s official transcript.

Students should familiarize themselves with the following requirements for baccalaureate degrees. Students who continue in college without interruption will meet requirements in effect at the time of their first registration, modified by curriculum and certification changes deemed essential by the faculty. Students who leave college for two or more semesters will meet graduation requirements in force at the time of return. Due allowance will be made for changes in course offerings.

1. Minimum Credit Hours, Scholarship, Residence: Baccalaureate degrees require a minimum of 124 semester hours with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.000 on all courses accepted by or completed at Friends University.

2. Residence:

   1. A minimum of 30 semester hours must be earned in residence at Friends.

   2. Out of the minimum 124 hours required for graduation, 24 of the last 30, or 50 of the last 60 must be taken in residence at Friends. B.A., B.B.A., B.S., B.M. and B.F.A. students who completed a minimum of 60 semester hours at Friends during their early college years but have since transferred out will be permitted to re-establish residency with an additional 12 hours in residence.

3. Correspondence and Extension: Not more than 30 semester hours earned by correspondence and extension may count toward a degree. (Friends University does not offer courses by correspondence.) Advance written approval for correspondence or extension courses should be secured from the Registrar before taking the course or by the Vice President of Academic Affairs if study abroad is contemplated. As a general policy, Friends University does not approve extension or correspondence courses when coursework applicable toward degree requirements is being offered on campus.

4. Remedial Study:

   1. Courses numbered below 100 may not be included in the 124 credit hours required for graduation.

5. Credit for Activities: A maximum of 8 credits earned in campus activities may be counted in the 124 hours required for graduation. Activity credit may be earned in physical education, intercollegiate athletics, ensembles and drama groups.

6. General Education: All students must meet the general education requirements in effect when they entered college. See the section on General Education for specific requirements.

7. General Education Assessment Activity:  Completion of the General Education examination is a graduation requirement for all Friends University undergraduate students.  Diplomas and transcripts will be held until the assessment is complete.

8. Foreign Language Requirements: All B.A., B.F.A. and B.M. degrees are required to have 8 hours in a single foreign language at the beginning level. This requirement may be met in the following ways:

   1. University Foreign Language Study:  Student earns a passing grade in beginning foreign language 101 & 102 coursework for 8 credit hours.

   2. 1 year of HS Foreign Language Study + University Foreign Language Study:  Students who have passed 1 year of high school foreign language study may take 102 in the same language.  Upon earning a passing grade in 102, student will meet the foreign language requirement.

   3. 2 years of Foreign Language Study + Demonstration of Proficiency:  Student who passed two years of High School Foreign Language must demonstrate proficiency in one of the following ways:

      1. Passing a qualifying exam with a minimum score of 70%.
      2. CLEP Examination & Evaluation with an institutionally acceptable score.
      3. Passing a departmental proficiency examination with a minimum score of 70%.
      4. Earning a passing grade in a Foreign Language course 102 or 201.

** NOTE:  Proficiency/qualifying exam will only be taken once. Students who do not pass the proficiency exam may be advised to enroll in “Foreign Language” 101 or 102. Contact Chair of Foreign Languages for details.

1. Declaration of Intent to Graduate: Students normally should file an Intent To Graduate sheet with the Registrar’s Office two semesters before their expected degree completion date. The final date for filing the Intent to Graduate application is February 1 prior to the May commencement exercises. Applications received after this date will be placed on the following year’s Commencement program.
2. Financial Obligations: No student will be granted a diploma of graduation until all financial obligations to the college have been met. A graduation fee for each degree awarded will be added to charges at least by the last term of attendance before graduation for traditional undergraduate degrees.

3. Commencement Attendance: Each candidate for a degree is encouraged to attend the commencement at which the degree is to be conferred.

4. Major Fields - Baccalaureate Degrees: In addition to General Education, each student will complete a concentration in a field of special interest known as a “major” along with supporting courses for the major field concentration. The major consists of at least 24 hours. No more than 40 hours in a single prefix will be counted toward the 124-hour graduation requirement.
5. Unremoved “D” grades cannot be counted toward meeting the minimum requirements in a student’s major. This includes all specifically named courses and elective hours required by the major program but does not include requirements from other academic areas.
6. Grades of “D” are permissible in the areas of the major program if the hours of “D” are in excess of the minimum major named and elective requirements. These can be used as general electives and will count toward graduation to the extent they do not exceed the maximum hours permitted in the major.
7. Many students complete two majors in the course of their studies. Double majors must fulfill all requirements for both majors. However if the majors cross degree requirement lines, then general education requirements for only one degree shall be required. Second majors cannot be listed on the academic record after the first degree is awarded.
8. Multiple Degrees (Awarded at Same Time): A second baccalaureate degree will require 30 semester hours of credit in addition to the hours required for the initial baccalaureate degree. Requirements for all general education and major courses must be fulfilled for both degrees. Both degrees could be awarded at the same Commencement.
9. Optional Minor: Optional minors consist of a minimum of 18 hours with “C” or above grades in all courses applied to the minor. Specific minor programs proposed by divisions are approved by the faculty. Recognition of minors cannot be added to the student transcript after the initial degree is awarded.
10. Other Programs of Study: Individuals whose interest or needs are not met by a recognized major should consult with the Dean of the College on the possibility of an individually-designed program of study in Liberal Studies.
11. Second Degrees: Students entering Friends University with a recognized baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution will not be required to fulfill general education requirements but must meet requirements for the major and any supporting courses required as well as the minimum number of hours for any degree from Friends University (30 hours).

CBASE students may participate by walking across the stage in Commencement if their expected total is no more than 9 credits less than the minimum credit hour requirement of their degree program.

Friends University confers four bachelor’s degrees:

• Bachelor of Arts, BA

• Bachelor of Fine Arts, BFA

• Bachelor of Music, BM

• Bachelor of Science, BS

The University reserves the right to modify or change policies, programs, curriculum and schedules contained in this catalog at its sole discretion at any time without further notice. Further, the University reserves the right to correct data entry issues or correct erroneous information contained in this catalog at its sole discretion at any time without further notice.The contents of this catalog do not constitute a contract between students or prospective students and the University.

Friends University does not discriminate on the basis of religion, race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding this policy: EEOC/Title IX Coordinator, Friends University, 2100 W. University Ave., Wichita, KS 67213, 316-295-5000.